This is why I try to ride 3R races if I can ... means I can ride with legit C and B racers and I'm in the mix the whole race. If I just ride in a B cat only, and I've tried it a few times in the past, I get dropped anywhere from 5 to 10 mins in then end up just soloing the next 50 mins so I get less of a workout. I'm just not riding enough at the moment to really get any better. If I can get my mojo back I'll try to get into B but if I'm not getting any fun in a race as I'm dropped too soon I'll probably ride even less and that's not ideal.
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We are all different, enthusiasm, phyical attributes, age, just change the drive we have. I know looking that quiet a few of you are still at the pointy end of your level, importantly driven to keep performing. Personally overall priority over the last couple of years has changed. I still enjoy biking, hence me getting more kit, its just not as high up my needs tree.
Still, Im here and for one night Im doing the,..........
Still, Im here and for one night Im doing the,..........
I do it mostly to keep my mind occupied and to keep me mentally healthy. It allows my body to stay in decent shape, which again helps my mental state .... if I let my body go my mind would follow and I would spiral into a bad place. Being with other riders in a race really helps too .... it's why for me the Tuesday races with the CCC guys have been so important for me this past 12 monthsWe are all different, enthusiasm, phyical attributes, age, just change the drive we have. I know looking that quiet a few of you are still at the pointy end of your level, importantly driven to keep performing. Personally overall priority over the last couple of years has changed. I still enjoy biking, hence me getting more kit, its just not as high up my needs tree.
Still, Im here and for one night Im doing the,..........
I've had some dark days, and the guys on discord have been there for me and let me be me 
They know this already, but I really can't thank them enough 
Legs
usually riding on Zwift...
- Location
- Staffordshire
34th out of 41 As, 36th out of 107 overall. 11 minutes of HTFU.
Peter Salt
Bittersweet
- Location
- Yorkshire, UK
Congratulations! I'm now an hour and a half before my first ever race and am starting to feel nervous - as if it was a 'real life' event
I'll drop in to give thumbs up. Dont go for bust too long. Settle into pace you can sustain. Hopefully there should be others around to ride withCongratulations! I'm now an hour and a half before my first ever race and am starting to feel nervous - as if it was a 'real life' event
Pete, what is your Zwift name? Found you
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mjd1988
Guru
Congratulations! I'm now an hour and a half before my first ever race and am starting to feel nervous - as if it was a 'real life' event
good luck, report back!
Peter Salt
Bittersweet
- Location
- Yorkshire, UK
OMG @CXRAndy, thank you for your support throughout the race. As you saw, of course I went too hard too earlyI'll drop in to give thumbs up. Dont go for bust too long. Settle into pace you can sustain. Hopefully there should be others around to ride with
Pete, what is your Zwift name? Found you
Gave it all at the start. After 2 minutes decided the lead group was outside my capabilities, dropped to the 2nd group... Same story there. Then again with the third. Fourth 'group' was just two people and I managed to stick to them. Over the next 2 laps it grew to 4 and then 5 people. With 7k to go I gave it 105% up the little twisty gravel road, I believe it's called the 'Italian Village?'... Gained 25s over the group. Managed to keep the spot to the finish but with just 6s advantage over my old group.
45th out of 73 people on the start line in Zwift. 25th out of 30 on ZwiftPower...
Got off the bike... Crawled to the bathroom... Got sick in the bathtub
Can't wait to do it again!
mjd1988
Guru
OMG @CXRAndy, thank you for your support throughout the race. As you saw, of course I went too hard too early
Gave it all at the start. After 2 minutes decided the lead group was outside my capabilities, dropped to the 2nd group... Same story there. Then again with the third. Fourth 'group' was just two people and I managed to stick to them. Over the next 2 laps it grew to 4 and then 5 people. With 7k to go I gave it 105% up the little twisty gravel road, I believe it's called the 'Italian Village?'... Gained 25s over the group. Managed to keep the spot to the finish but with just 6s advantage over my old group.
45th out of 73 people on the start line in Zwift. 25th out of 30 on ZwiftPower...
View attachment 616679
Got off the bike... Crawled to the bathroom... Got sick in the bathtub
Can't wait to do it again!
Cracking write-up! well done. 20 min power and raised FTP vindicates decision to go in C group. 1 minute power is very good so you'll quickly be at the pointy end when you get a bit of base/racecraft (with less damage to the bathtub)
Very well done Pete. You listened, paced yourself, and dug in when prompted . I was worried you were going to blow up with the surging you did. . When I said lead up the Italian village, I didn't mean sprint off the front and smash your group . The tactic worked for you and you held good form to the finish, Again congratulations on your first race.
With your lightweight and age it won't be long before you will be in high B and even A cat. Not joking
. I was worried you were going to blow up with the surging you did. . When I said lead up the Italian village, I didn't mean sprint off the front and smash your group . The tactic worked for you and you held good form to the finish, Again congratulations on your first race.With your lightweight and age it won't be long before you will be in high B and even A cat. Not joking
Peter Salt
Bittersweet
- Location
- Yorkshire, UK
Yeah, looking at the 'D' results, they would have likely DQ me OR I wouldn't have pushed myself; one way or another it was a good choice. And yes: No endurance whatsoever. At the end I found it easier to surge to 300W for a few seconds and wind down to 100 rather then keep it steady. Will need to do a lot longer rides once my bum gets use to that.
But you know... I was thinking about that 1 min. power. Not that long ago I lived in a 4th floor flat with no lift. Did take me about a minute to get up the 82 stairs.
Racecraft - absolutely, especially drafting. I was touching the wheel, easing off too much, then having to surge again. Had difficulties keeping a steady gap.
Yeah that village situation was quite funny, actually. I was so panicky about getting dropped that I just gave it all I had. Once the lead got to 10s I just thought 'ah, what the hell... let's just keep going'. I wouldn't call it a tactic... Just, in the words of late Bob Ross, a 'happy accident'.Very well done Pete. You listened, paced yourself, and dug in when prompted
With your lightweight and age it won't be long before you will be in high B and even A cat. Not joking
Lightweight? Ha, ha, ha! Wait till I tell my girlfriend about it
Plan is to loose at least 3kg until end of Jan '22, ideally 5kg till May.Not doing any targeted training just yet. Feet/bum need to get tougher and I got plenty of routes to do. Will just do steady riding and the weekend race for now.
73kg is lightweight in my book, having come down to 102kg from 115kgYeah, looking at the 'D' results, they would have likely DQ me OR I wouldn't have pushed myself; one way or another it was a good choice. And yes: No endurance whatsoever. At the end I found it easier to surge to 300W for a few seconds and wind down to 100 rather then keep it steady. Will need to do a lot longer rides once my bum gets use to that.
But you know... I was thinking about that 1 min. power. Not that long ago I lived in a 4th floor flat with no lift. Did take me about a minute to get up the 82 stairs.
Racecraft - absolutely, especially drafting. I was touching the wheel, easing off too much, then having to surge again. Had difficulties keeping a steady gap.
Yeah that village situation was quite funny, actually. I was so panicky about getting dropped that I just gave it all I had. Once the lead got to 10s I just thought 'ah, what the hell... let's just keep going'. I wouldn't call it a tactic... Just, in the words of late Bob Ross, a 'happy accident'.
Lightweight? Ha, ha, ha! Wait till I tell my girlfriend about it
Not doing any targeted training just yet. Feet/bum need to get tougher and I got plenty of routes to do. Will just do steady riding and the weekend race for now.
Get a quality seat ideally with a central cutout. Selle Italia superflow example.
Good idea not to go to deep the first month or two. Plenty of time to adapt to indoor riding
You've not worked hard enough if you've not made yourself illOMG @CXRAndy, thank you for your support throughout the race. As you saw, of course I went too hard too early
Gave it all at the start. After 2 minutes decided the lead group was outside my capabilities, dropped to the 2nd group... Same story there. Then again with the third. Fourth 'group' was just two people and I managed to stick to them. Over the next 2 laps it grew to 4 and then 5 people. With 7k to go I gave it 105% up the little twisty gravel road, I believe it's called the 'Italian Village?'... Gained 25s over the group. Managed to keep the spot to the finish but with just 6s advantage over my old group.
45th out of 73 people on the start line in Zwift. 25th out of 30 on ZwiftPower...
View attachment 616679
Got off the bike... Crawled to the bathroom... Got sick in the bathtub
Can't wait to do it again!
Legs
usually riding on Zwift...
- Location
- Staffordshire
Well done, @Peter Salt , I loved the write-up and am so glad you’ve got the racing bug!
Yeah, your 1 minute power stands out amongst those who you finished near, and shows that you’ve got potential. A lot of Zwift races are decided on 1- and 2- minute power, either on the short climbs (Watopia Wall, Libby Hill or Innsbruck Legsnapper) or as an escape effort 1-2km from the line. Watopia Hilly Route is a lovely little circuit and the Wall is great for testing and improving your short-term power, and recovery.
